1. Field of the Invention
The object of the present invention is an electric grinding device, apt to grind pepper or rock salt and meant to be placed on the dining table or in the kitchen.
"Pepper-grinders" having the most different shapes are widely known on the market, but they substantially comprise a feedbox, into which are introduced the pepper grains, and a grinder positioned at the bottom of the feedbox. The feedbox forms a first part of the pepper-grinder, which is held fast in one hand, while a second part of the pepper-grinder can be rotated in respect of the first, with the other hand, and controls the rotation of the rotary part of the grinder. This latter opens towards the lower part of the grinder to let out the ground pepper. Grinding adjustment means allow to obtain more or less finely ground pepper.
The object of the present invention is to realize a grinding device of this type, which is of more convenient and prompt use and which can be electrically operated.
Another problem one normally has at table is the use of salt. In fact, the fine salt which is introduced in salt-cellars, provided with a perforated cap, often has the tendency--especially due to humidity--to agglomerate, so that it becomes extremely difficult to let it out of the salt-cellar.
Another object of the present invention is therefore to realize a grinding device apt to grind rock salt at the moment of use, thereby eliminating the cited problem of fine salt agglomeration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known to be in technique different devices apt to grind grain material, particularly coffee grains, which are electrically operated. Devices of this type are described for example in Patents FR-A-530 429, FR-A-612 994 and US-A-4 614 086. These devices are however of large dimensions and they make use of an electric motor of relatively high power, fed through the mains. Such devices are hence not apt to solve the problem lying at the basis of the invention, namely to realize a grinding device for pepper or salt, which is handy and small so as to be placed on the laid table, and which can therefore be operated by a battery-fed low power motor.
Devices which are more apt to answer these specific requirements are described for example in Patents GB-A-2 088 745 and US-A-3 734 417. These devices comprise--inside a relatively small body, or anyhow apt to be placed on the table--a battery-fed motor, which drives the grinding shaft through a reduction unit with high gear ratio. However these devices have two different inconveniences:
on one hand the motor, the reduction unit an the grinder form part of a unitary assembly which, in case of breakage or jamming, or even simply due to cleaning or maintenance, is difficult to disassemble, and in certain cases this can be done only by a skilled technician;
on the other hand, the filling with pepper or salt grains must be done in correspondence of the grinder, which requires each time the removal of the grinder itself, this operation being not always simple and in any case delicate.
The second of these problems is solved, according to the EP-A-0201161, due to the fact that the body of the device is formed in two parts, fixed one on the other by bayonet coupling. The upper part comprises the feeding system and the batteries, while the lower part--which contains the motor, the reduction unit and the grinder--comprises an annular chamber opening upwards, which can be directly filled with pepper or salt without having to disassemble the grinder. This result is however obtained thanks to a very complex structure, involving manufacturing costs which are too high in proportion to the article in question.
The device according to the CH-A-608 365, which is more simple and thus easy to realize, is also apt to solve the second heretofore specified problem of filling without disassembling the grinder. This is obtained thanks to a hopper opening formed laterally on the device, through which it is possible to fill the pepper or the salt grains which then drop down into the grinder. This solution, though simple, is not safe, as in case the device should be overturned or inclined on the table, the grains could freely drop out of the hopper opening.